CDFW Officer Hassle factor...
- Thread starter Aram
- Start date
DFG rules are simple, just like driving a car. Get the license and follow the rules. Break them and get a consequence. No different than a hunting license or any other responsibility. Go to the boat ramp during lobster season and watch what happens. I didn’t know I needed a lobster report.
Soooo what did you do? If you get stopped and get the “3rd degree” I’m guessing it isn’t the wardens fault
tell us
Soooo what did you do? If you get stopped and get the “3rd degree” I’m guessing it isn’t the wardens fault
tell us
DFG rules are simple, just like driving a car. Get the license and follow the rules. Break them and get a consequence. No different than a hunting license or any other responsibility. Go to the boat ramp during lobster season and watch what happens. I didn’t know I needed a lobster report.
Soooo what did you do? If you get stopped and get the “3rd degree” I’m guessing it isn’t the wardens fault tell us
Soooo what did you do? If you get stopped and get the “3rd degree” I’m guessing it isn’t the wardens fault
tell us
There are times when a warden is wrong or discourteous but most of the time it is just the opposite. Although the rules are more complicated than twenty years ago, for most fish the limits and size are stated pretty clearly in the online booklet. As for the wardens, they are there simply trying to enforce the rules. The largest problem is when the people don't know the rules (or especially when the people cannot correctly identify the fish that matches the rule). Study the online regs, study the fish (most on the PFIC fish pages), and if you run into a warden be courteous yourself and ask for help if needed. I've been fishing for over 60 years, been checked many times by wardens, and have never had a problem.
The only times I've ever seen a warden turn hard-ass is when the fisher became obstreperous because the warden
was simply there doing their job.
If a fisher is somewhere that requires a license and is asked to show a license, then giving the warden grief for checking
licenses puts you in the wrong. Likewise, if you you are fishing somewhere that has seasonal fishing (ie Dungeness crabs
or Lobster out of season, or keeping Dungeness while anywhere on the landwards side of the GGB) and the warden wants
to examine a catch, then the fisher has no reason to be defensive. Show your catch and that's the end of it. It may happen
but in all the years I've been fishing I have not seen a warden start nit picking a fisher for no reason even once. Hell, most
of the time they even offer advice on the local conditions and area because in their off time they all seem to be fishers as
well.
The rules aren't complicated in most cases. They are generally very straight forward and obvious. It's the responsibility of
the fisher to know the regulations. The regulations are there so that, in most circumstances, there will still be a fishery there
for us to enjoy next year and the year after that.
was simply there doing their job.
If a fisher is somewhere that requires a license and is asked to show a license, then giving the warden grief for checking
licenses puts you in the wrong. Likewise, if you you are fishing somewhere that has seasonal fishing (ie Dungeness crabs
or Lobster out of season, or keeping Dungeness while anywhere on the landwards side of the GGB) and the warden wants
to examine a catch, then the fisher has no reason to be defensive. Show your catch and that's the end of it. It may happen
but in all the years I've been fishing I have not seen a warden start nit picking a fisher for no reason even once. Hell, most
of the time they even offer advice on the local conditions and area because in their off time they all seem to be fishers as
well.
The rules aren't complicated in most cases. They are generally very straight forward and obvious. It's the responsibility of
the fisher to know the regulations. The regulations are there so that, in most circumstances, there will still be a fishery there
for us to enjoy next year and the year after that.
Okay.. Gentleman... I thank everyone commenting on this.. I did a go through with my highliter to understand rules and regs in the 2025 ocean rule book. As a 30 year still beginner, I am still inexperienced, but did try to study the species. That's gonna be tough to memorize. I'm in Fresno, so the opportunity to ocean fish does not come easily. I got my crabbing tag too. So here are my thoughts. I really don't want to keep any I guess white croaker/smelt fish unless I use it for crab bait. I do have a pyramid crab trap for the pier at Half moon bay. I am going to try my hand at surf fishing for the first time, and have my new torpedo weights with the wires that pop open to let go of the sand. I really would like to catch a couple of nice halibut (over 22" I guess to keep). If I catch crab, I have to measure it, so I'll need to buy a tool for that. I believe must be over 5" on the longer part of the body. Seems hard to measure while alive so I guess I'll push it against the ground and measure it. If okay, I'll dispatch it and through it in the ice chest. I also would like to catch some sort of surf perch. I love deep fried fish. I think those would be tasty. I see that the F&G have an app you can download for your license, but not sure if that has a rule book with it. I suppose I'll be referring to it often while fishing, which kind of wrecks the pleasure and is a time waster, but what can I do. it is what it is. Ken, I have had your first book for many years and refer to it a lot. Love to meet you sometime for advice. I heard you were in Fresno, did I understand that incorrectly?
Aram
Aram
Now as far as the wardens go, I've had no run ins with anyone, and am basically a fun loving guy, but I sense a lot of people put into this position might be more of an environmentalist, vs. a warden subliminally taking pleasure in harassing people they don't like or relate to using lawfare. I once fished at San Simeon pier, and some college kid came with a clipboard asking all kinds of questions, which frankly was none of her business. It looked like it was an attempt to pass more laws to limit fishing by the un-elected. I did not want to help. At another time, I cast off the pier at Pismo, and I giant pelican grabbed the hook in the sky, flew off, and then landed in the water all tangled for awhile. A bunch of people then gathered all around me and started gasping as if I was some evil murderous person. I sensed someone was going to call the authorities. So If I seem a little off regarding all this, hopefully you might understand why. Not wanting to step on anyone's toes here. I know we have to have reasonable rules in place to protect wild life.
That was most likely a DFW fish counter. The data they gather is used to help figure out abundance in regard to determining limits,
etc. It's not all about restricting catches either. I think the size limits on Lings and Halibut used to be 24" if I'm not mistaken. The bag limits on
some species used to be smaller too. So the data is really valuable to help maintain the fishery.
etc. It's not all about restricting catches either. I think the size limits on Lings and Halibut used to be 24" if I'm not mistaken. The bag limits on
some species used to be smaller too. So the data is really valuable to help maintain the fishery.
Yes, that sounds like a fish counter and you'll run into them sometimes at the piers. As for wardens, you don't run into them as much as I would like. Some have pretty much given up patrolling the piers. Just too many people which makes it hard if you are alone. Plus, the department's feeling is that most people on a pier don't catch enough fish to be a problem (but they are wrong).
As for Fresno, sure we'll meet up some day.
As for Fresno, sure we'll meet up some day.
Some relevant info on pp 13, 41-44, 54.
Other mentions throughout the regs...
https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=220187&inline
Need to be aware of the season in different areas as well as regional restrictions and MLPA
zones. At least theres an online map for MLPA areas now.
Dungeness & Rock Crab
https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Oce...=The daily bag limit is,place on the same day
Other mentions throughout the regs...
https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=220187&inline
Need to be aware of the season in different areas as well as regional restrictions and MLPA
zones. At least theres an online map for MLPA areas now.
Dungeness & Rock Crab
https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Oce...=The daily bag limit is,place on the same day
Thank you Thefrood:
Okay.. I have been high lighting and making my own basic rules sheet to assist me so I don't forget when I am on site out of the book. I read it as bag limit 20 crab, and since we are past the date, no dungeoness crab at all can be taken. It also has to be larger than 4" What I am confused about is what sector Half moon bay is in. It seems to be controlled by San Francisco on the map shown in the book. Google says that half moon bay is controlled by ocean rules and is in San Mateo County. I have been looking all over for a crab measuring tool, but none to be found locally, so I will try to buy one at the local tackle shop if they have any. What am I misunderstanding here.
Okay.. I have been high lighting and making my own basic rules sheet to assist me so I don't forget when I am on site out of the book. I read it as bag limit 20 crab, and since we are past the date, no dungeoness crab at all can be taken. It also has to be larger than 4" What I am confused about is what sector Half moon bay is in. It seems to be controlled by San Francisco on the map shown in the book. Google says that half moon bay is controlled by ocean rules and is in San Mateo County. I have been looking all over for a crab measuring tool, but none to be found locally, so I will try to buy one at the local tackle shop if they have any. What am I misunderstanding here.
Next.. very interesting and timely last Saturday. I went to a wedding and had a nice conversation sitting with a retired F&G man. My original post seemed to be relevant to what he was saying upon asking him questions. Some of the take aways from the conversation was "even a lot of the wardens don't have a good grasp on the regulations", and more importantly "the new hires are interested in only environmentalism and not conservationism". This retired employee spent a lot of his time submitting documents to the uppers to try to make rules more reasonable to the public. What I didn't know was what that statement meant until he explained it in depth. Unfortunately some of the pre-notions I had were true. Ya, ya learn something everyday.
The sectors are for inland fisheries. You need the ocean zones.
https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean
Inside SF Bay is it's own zone. The different zones on the map are clickable.
I've encountered plenty of younger dfw employees who have given me helpful advice and tips
for where to fish and what's biting. If you go into an encounter looking for conflict you are going
to find what you are looking for. Get rid of your preconceptions and deal with wardens as you
encounter them. Conservationism and environmentalism are not necessarily conflicting ideologies.
Your attitude towards DFW and LEO makes me think that Fresno must be a scary area to live. In the
SF Bay area, Inland Empire Southern California, and all up and down the coast in southern and
central California with quite a few encounters with wardens, fish counters, and LEO interactions over
the years I have never had a single one even remotely like what you seem to think is the norm...
https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean
Inside SF Bay is it's own zone. The different zones on the map are clickable.
I've encountered plenty of younger dfw employees who have given me helpful advice and tips
for where to fish and what's biting. If you go into an encounter looking for conflict you are going
to find what you are looking for. Get rid of your preconceptions and deal with wardens as you
encounter them. Conservationism and environmentalism are not necessarily conflicting ideologies.
Your attitude towards DFW and LEO makes me think that Fresno must be a scary area to live. In the
SF Bay area, Inland Empire Southern California, and all up and down the coast in southern and
central California with quite a few encounters with wardens, fish counters, and LEO interactions over
the years I have never had a single one even remotely like what you seem to think is the norm...
Don't jump to any conclusions regarding Fresno.You forget the negativity expressed by many toward the Department of Fish and Wildlife over the years on the message board and few of the people were from Fresno. I've lived in San Diego, the Bay Area, and Fresno and they are all basically the same (excepting the weather) with some good areas and some bad.
Apologies. It wasn't meant to be a literal description but rather to emphasize how different individual expectations can be. I've
never had an issue with any kind of LEO, warden, etc, but I try my best to treat every other person with respect and to show
them the same consideration that I would expect them to give to me. This approach tends to work with most worthwhile and
sane people.
never had an issue with any kind of LEO, warden, etc, but I try my best to treat every other person with respect and to show
them the same consideration that I would expect them to give to me. This approach tends to work with most worthwhile and
sane people.
Greetings all. Thought I'd share my experiences a bit. Just got back from Half Moon Bay. What a great place. Loved the Oceano Hotel. No crowds, perfect weather, I saw a harbor patrol car but no wardens of any kind. Tiny pier but still nice. Helps with no peeps around. Day 1 at the pier--dropped my jig 'Gulp scented fish' in the water, and not one nibble. Some people caught maybe one or two tiny perch, but honestly it felt like nothing much was happening. I dropped the pyramid crab trap in the water, used the same bait. I caought about 6 crab, but they were too small, so bak in the water they went. A very nice Chinese man who could not speak English and had a big blob of chum in his hoop net, and he caught a bunch of crab with three of them keepers. I think you would need at least 5 for a decent meal. I also let my daughter try fishing for the first time, and was lucky she did not throw my late pops pole over..
Day 2 Surf Fishing at Miramar beach down the street: I have a 15 ft. pole, sitting in the closet for 20 years and used it for the first time (ugly stick) dang that thing is heavy and it was a real pain to fit into the car broken down. I got my two nice beach spikes (the kind they use in Florida), and they worked very well, glad I got those vs. the ones I made which after spending two days doing so the big pole would not fit into the 1-1/4" pipe (arrgg!). So the two pole holders I bought have a bait bin, and hold a sand flea shovel, has a measuring scale on it and is rugged aluminum. I am keeping those. I cast, and cast artificial bait... pink squid looking one, then tried fake worms, then scented fish like at the pier. I was going for surf perch of any kind. No luck at all, and I finally gave up around noon time. I was satisfied trying surf fishing for the first time and testing out my gear. What a difference between my 9 footer and the 15. Late after noon I walked on the harbor and a guy just came off his boat with several ice chests. We talked, and he offered to sell me halibut. Darn it.. I should have went for it. All in all I had a nice time with the wife and daughter.
Now a question for you folks. I have 22 lb line in the photo (9 ft. pole) on my pops old reel. I notice after about 15-20 casts, when trying to cast with the bail open, and me pinching the line against the pole, the line would spring off the reel, then of course snag or cast lousy. It is new line 'Trilene' mono I believe. Wrong line? What's going on here... It almost became unusable. Advice?
Day 2 Surf Fishing at Miramar beach down the street: I have a 15 ft. pole, sitting in the closet for 20 years and used it for the first time (ugly stick) dang that thing is heavy and it was a real pain to fit into the car broken down. I got my two nice beach spikes (the kind they use in Florida), and they worked very well, glad I got those vs. the ones I made which after spending two days doing so the big pole would not fit into the 1-1/4" pipe (arrgg!). So the two pole holders I bought have a bait bin, and hold a sand flea shovel, has a measuring scale on it and is rugged aluminum. I am keeping those. I cast, and cast artificial bait... pink squid looking one, then tried fake worms, then scented fish like at the pier. I was going for surf perch of any kind. No luck at all, and I finally gave up around noon time. I was satisfied trying surf fishing for the first time and testing out my gear. What a difference between my 9 footer and the 15. Late after noon I walked on the harbor and a guy just came off his boat with several ice chests. We talked, and he offered to sell me halibut. Darn it.. I should have went for it. All in all I had a nice time with the wife and daughter.
Now a question for you folks. I have 22 lb line in the photo (9 ft. pole) on my pops old reel. I notice after about 15-20 casts, when trying to cast with the bail open, and me pinching the line against the pole, the line would spring off the reel, then of course snag or cast lousy. It is new line 'Trilene' mono I believe. Wrong line? What's going on here... It almost became unusable. Advice?
